Legal Formalities How to Guides & Articles

Whether you are Buying a property, setting up a Business here or just looking to get the best possible advise on how to conduct matters in Spain, it is always important to know who and where to turn... more

Building your own property is a dream come true for many of those planning a new life in Spain. Deciding to Build on an Urbanisation means that you will have the security of neighbours around you and the comfort of most mains services... more

For many of us, the dream of living in Spain will mean the open Countryside - Far from the Madding Crowd : Peace and Tranquility over Neighbours and Mains services. However, the practicalities of getting your project off the ground need addressing ... more

Same-sex marriages were made legal in Spain in June of 2005, whereby all civil marriage in Spain now allow homosexual couples the same legal, adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples.... more

This is a scheme which allows people wishing to visit certain countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) to travel using only one visa. At the moment 24 countries within the EEA have signed... more

As soon as you have decided upon the type of enterprise that you wish to run and have thoroughly researched a suitable area, you will need to begin looking for the right business premises, or locales.... more

It is by no means unusual for people to move house every once in a while, and while the process is widely acknowledged to be one of the most stressful things to happen in life, it is easy to see how... more

It is possible to arrange civil or religious marriages between two foreigners or a foreigner and a Spanish national provided that all of the required Paperwork is taken care of. In addition, the... more

Chances are that if you have been seriously looking at buying a property in Spain for any period of time, that you already know who the AIPP are, or at the very least have seen their logo attached... more

Births must be registered within eight days at the local civil registry office (Registro Civil). It is the parents' responsibility to ensure this is done and it must be carried out in person ( As... more

If you are arrested in Spain or fall victim of any crime you will be concerned to receive good legal advice and assistance. Your first point of contact should be the nearest British Consulate, and... more

All applications for your professional qualification to be officially recognised in Spain must be sent to the appropriate competent authority for the regulated profession that you wish to practice... more

Although the overall principal of successfully applying for a mortgage is the same in Spain as it is in the UK, there are a few differences between the 2 products that it pays to be aware of. Any... more

If you are living in spain and wish to start your own business here, you need to register as self employed (autonomo) for income tax and social security reasons. many small businesses also prefer... more

It is only relatively recently that Divorce has been legal in Spain, and even now it is not an easy path for troubled relationships to persue. In many cases divorce is so expensive and such a legal... more

A maximum of five pets may accompany you on your journey to Spain. All dogs & cats (and even ferrets!) must have a microchip OR registration number tattooed on the inside of their ear before they... more

Unless you are a citizen of the USA, Australia or New Zealand then you are required to hold a Visado de Residencia (Residence visa) to be allowed to enter Spain, however if you wish to stay for... more

The question of whether or not buyers need a survey can actually be answered by a significant proportion of new build owners, most having experienced various problems with their new properties,... more

The ‘Decenal’ 10-Year Property Insurance system for newbuilds requires that a geotechnical study of the ground is carried out as part of the project. This involves pre-build bore testing (in two or... more

The convenience of living in the Pueblo, combined with the charm and relative good value of an older property, can often mean that buying and restoring a Spanish Townhouse are attractive to foreign buyers. Quiet often this can be the case, but we asked Mark Paddon from Survey Spain what things a potential buyer of such a property should be aware of... more

If you own property in Spain ( or have assets in Spain ) and are a resident here it is advisable to have a Spanish will (testamento) made. This will avoid any complications in having a will from... more

A Widow or Widowers benefit is available from the Spanish State to the surviving partner of conventional or common-law marriage, when the deceased and surviving partner meet the requirements for... more

Sometimes the easiest way to explain the exact function of a Chartered Surveyor is to describe the variety of surveys on which their expertise is considered vital. As you will be able to see, their... more

A frequent question asked by motorists of a foreign nationality in Spain is reagrds to the ITV (Inspección Técnica de Vehículos), or the roadworthiness test of a motor vehicle in Spain, which is the... more

A common mistake made by foreign buyers of Spanish property is that of assuming that any purchasing procedures and legal formalities associated with any such sale are the same as in their own country.more

In these times of falling property prices and increasing rates of unemployment, a common question being asked on many expat forum is the subject of handing the keys back to the bank and walking away... more

The Nota Simple is an official extract report that contains a full property description and can be obtained from the local property title registry office or, by subscribers, over the Internet. This... more

Sometimes it is easier just to buy an existing business rather than to go through the whole process of setting a up a Business Yourself from the very begining, and in many cases start to build up a... more

It doesn't need to be said that is no shortage of information out there concerning QROPS - Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes - and much of the advice given is very good. The problem is... more

The financial crisis seen in Spain over recent years has brought with it an increasing number of married and co-habiting expat couples who have taken the decision to go their separate ways. In some... more

Confusing even at the best of times, a country's legal and judical system can seem a complicated web made up of many different entities with separate ( and often seemingly conflicting ) areas of responsibility – we will do our best to simplify and explain these below... more

If you are a dog owner considering bringing your pet into Spain, or even if you live in Spain already but are thinking of buying or adopting a larger dog, there are a number of considerations that... more

If you have relocated to Spain and have a baby it is compulsory for you to register the birth with the Spanish authorities. This can be done at the Civil Register Office nearest to the place of... more

It is a rarely spoken truth that a high number of those moving overseas to start a new life, will move back to the UK due to Legal, Financial or Personal reasons after a given period of time. Not... more

It is always useful to be familiar with various words and phrases that can occur wherever and whenever you are faced with any kind of bureaucracy in Spain. You might want to print our this page and keep it with your legal documents... more

In times of difficult economic conditions it is only to be expected that many families are looking at ways in which they can reduce their monthly outgoings. One such means of budgeting may be to... more

It is obligatory in Spain for a new build property to have ‘Seguro Decenal’ which is insurance on the building for 10 years. This article by Building Surveyor Mark Paddon explains what the implications are when buying a new build property in Spain :more

If you have a UK photo card driving licence dating from 1997 or after (or full UK licence dating from 1990) it will be sufficient to allow you to drive legally in Spain. However, when it expires (or... more

You would be surprised how many people this issue relates to. Although there is no requirement for anybody to make a Spanish Will, by having one you will ensure a cost effective means of simplifying... more

For many generations smoking in Spain has formed part of Spanish culture and it has been accepted as the norm for teenagers through to grandparents across the country to be able to smoke openly and... more

With the summer season in full swing, the Agencia Tributaria (Spain's tax authority) is launching a campaign to cut down on illegal property rentals. We asked Raquel Perez from
Perez Legal Group
... more

Information on how, as a foreigner in Spain, you can buy a new or used car. Information includes information on what forms to fill out and how to find your local traffic department (Jefatura de Trafico... more

Along with complaints about Banks and other financial institutions; and complaints about local Town Halls, complaints about the Police rank highly amongst Non-Spaniards living in Spain and who may... more

Global recession has hit small businesses hard, closing stores and causing job layoffs along with lots of restructuring. In one sense, this is good; companies are streamlining, and the recession is... more

Being eligible for Spanish citizenship depends largely on the nationality of your parents, your current nationality and the length of time that you have being living in Spain. If one of your parents... more

From time to time problems can and do occur in Spanish Banks, just as they do in other countries. Quite often any grievance can be sorted out at a branch level simply by speaking with the manager... more

When moving to Spain a lot of people quite naturally weigh up the pros and cons of bringing the car that they had in the UK over with them. Sometimes the obvious thing to do is to stay away from the... more

Cancelling any contract in Spain can be a difficult and time-consuming process - even for those who speak the language to an advanced level. There always seems to a complicated system to adhere to,... more

The Socialist PSOE Government abolished wealth tax (impuesto extraordinario sobre el patrimonio) - often referred to as simply 'el Patrimonio' in Spanish - on the 1st of January 2008 in a bid to... more